Fire extinguisher



Patented May 27, 1930 srATs PATENT oFl-"lca VTILLIS D. WITTER, OF CATONSVILLE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO AMERICAN LA FRANCE AND FOAMITE CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK FIRE EXTINGUISHER Application filed April 9,

The invention relates to foam-type, 'selfcontained fire extinguisher units of the kind adapted to be suspended over the area to be protected and to be set in action by some sort of automatic release mechanism or otherwise, so as to produce the fire-extinguishing foam which falls and spreads over the burning surface. The invention consists in an improved extinguisher of this kind, in whichv operation is brought about by the discharge of the foam-making solutions through passageways which are normally free from obstruction by valves likely to corrode or frangible diaphragms likely to leak and requiring renewal, and in which the fiow of the solutions is so governed that the initial discharge is of foam of correct and predetermined quality and not liquid, and continues of this same quality until the action is completed, and in which also the discharge takes place quietly and uninfluenced by the movement the extinguisher may have received by the agency which set it in action, and in which various other advantages are present as later made apparent.

Referring to the accompanaying drawings,

Fig. 1 represents the extinguisher in side elevation in position suspended from the ceiling of a factory or room.

Fig. 2 is a larger scale, vertical axial section of the extinguisher in its normal position.

Fig. 3 is a cross section thereof in the same position.

Fig. 4: a similar section in the position of discharge, and

Fig. 5 is a broken out plan of the mixing chamber.

' The two foam-making solutions are respectively contained in the compartments produced by dividing the cylindrical sheet metal tank structure 1 by means of a transverse partition 2. The tank structure is journalled by gudgeons at its ends in the two open of the supporting enclosure or housing 4. The latter is provided with means 5 whereby it may be hoisted and suspended above the fire risk which may be, for instance, a dip tank or the like. The housing 4 protects the tank structure from injury by conjournals 3 1925. Serial N0. 21,804.

stitute the side walls are attached. Theseanels are square and marginally reinforced so that the lower edge of the housing affords a stable support when lowered on to the floor and supports the tank, clear of the floor on such occasions, thus facilitating the operation of filling the compartments. Obviously the side panels are not'necessary for this function since the main frame member 6 could be made to serve the same purpose if necessary. It is evident also that the apparatus, although intended primarily for suspension above the fire risk, could, where desirable, be operated when supported from the floor.

The tank structure rotates on its journal axis to produce the discharge and mixture of the solutions, and for this purpose a mixing chamber 7 is secured to the wall of the tank which is normally uppermost. This chamber has communication, through two holes 8 cut in the tank wall, with each solution compartment and, on inversion, the solutions flow through these holes into the interior of the chamber mixing therein and producing the foam which emerges from the spout or mouth 9. The mixing chamber is elongated in the direction of the solution movement therethrough and circumferentially around thetank, the spout mouth being thus circumferentially offset from the solution holes 8 so that time is given for the solutions to mix and generate the gas by which the foam is produced. The mixing chamber thus forms. in the preferred and illustrated embodiment, a relatively shallow elongated conduit. By extending the chamber circumferentially of the tank, cr'horizontally when the tank is inverted, the necessary length of mixing channel and time element referred to are obtained without materially increasing the over-all vertical dimension of the apparatus. This, it will be understood, is important in devices of this kind which are intended to be suspended from the ceiling. It constitutes a feature of the present invention capable of adaptation to any suspended or overhead type of two-solution extinguisher. In the present case the interior of the mixing chamber is arranged withpartition Walls which direct the two solution streams into mutual impingement, thus promoting thorough mix ture and prompt foam generation.

When the tank is in its normal position a cover cap 10 rests on and closes thespout mouth 9 and such cap is fastened to the housing by a chain or other loose connection so that as the tank rotates to discharge, and the mixing chamber swings downwardly, the spout mouth is separ ted from the cap, leaving the latter han ing free or against the side of the lions; A The slack in the chain lets thespout. gather. downward headway before it parts from the cap, so that in the case of any possible stiking, the separation of the cap will be certain to be effected. Othermeans than a slack chain can obviously be arranged to produce the same effect.

Each solution compartment is provided with an inverted vent, constituted in the present case by a tube 11 fixed in the filling cap 12 of that compartment, so as to form a communication between the atmosphere adjacent the cap and the opposite interior side of the compartment. These tubes are normally covered. bytethered closure caps 18, like the cap 10, so that when the tank has rotated to its discharge position the tubes are uncovered and in this inverted position, their inner ends will open above the solution levels and air will be admitted upwardly from the bottom side of the structure to maintain atmospheric pressure on both solutions. This venting isimportant to insure constantly equal or predetermined solution flow from the compartments to the mixingchamber and a uniform or steady flow is essential for producing foam of constant quality, i. e. containing no more of one solution than the other., Inasmuch as the vent tubes are secured to the filling caps, they are conveniently withdrawn out of the way when the latter are removed, as for charging.

In the apparatus illustrated, the journal axis of the tank structure in the housing or support is eccentric to its longtitudinal axis so that being unbalanced it normally tends to swing or turn by gravity to its discharge position. The unbalanced weightof the mix ing chamber which is a casting and correspondingly heavy, promotes this tendency,

and in some conditions could be made heavy.

enough to turn the tank without the aid of the eccentricity. in the normal condition the tank is held from turning by a connection 14 to a heat-operated release mechanism represented generally by 15. This mechanism forms no part of this invention and may, if desired, be substituted by a chain having a fusible link such as common in this art, or the tank can be arranged to be released, or operated, by hand if that should be preferred.

It will be apparent that when the tank is released the effect is to lower slightly, by the amount of the eccentricity, the whole mass of the two solutions, but without producing any, commotion in them, that is to say, the tank rotates with reference to the solutions and the mixing chamber outlet moves to the lower side of the solutions unaccompanied by any rotation or appreciable commotion of them. Thisis the effect of making the solution compartments cylindrical or substantially cylindrical and arranging the turning axis parallel to the cylindrical axis, by. which ismeant coincident with th cylindrical axis or, equally spaced therefrom at all points, and results in the orderly and, exactly coincident flow of. each solution into the mixing-chamber, this in turn results in developing foam of correct composition, from the very, beginning of the action ine new. organization in this respect constitutes an important departure from previous extinguishers of the suspended invertible type, wherein the solutions are likely to be much shaken by. the inversion and the whole apparatus dangles and swings while discharging. The quiet and orderly operation ofthe present apparatus is insured in the present case-by suspending the supportstructure or housing by means of three chainsas indicatedin Fig. 1 ofthe drawing, two ofsuchchains being attached to the housing at the ends of the sup aorting yoke 6, or in the vertical plane of the rotation axis and the other to the center of the Weighted side of the housing. By this method of support the whole structure is steady during discharge. The organization referred to has the further advantage that the solution capacity can be easily increased or varied according to different requirements, by increasing or changing the length of the tank and its support in thedirection of the cylindrical'axis, without requiring any change in the size of the other parts andwithout diminishing the head room below it.

It will be apparent therefore, that the several principles involved in this invention can bejointly or severally incorporated in fire extinguishers of various forms, and it must be understood that there is no intended limitation to the illustratedcombination of all of such features except as specifically provided in the. following claims.

Claims:

1. A foam fire extinguisher of the kind adaptedtobe supported above a fire risk comprising incombination substantially cylindrical solution compartments for component foam making solutions mounted for rotation as a unit on a horiozntal axis parallel to the Cylindrical axis to a discharging position, amixing chamber and foam delivery conduit carried by said rotatable unit and having connections with each of said compartments and a foam delivery outlet, and means for retaining the unit in the position in which said conduit is on the upper side thereof.

2. A foam fire extinguisher of the kind adapted to be supported above a fire risk, comprising in combination a rotatable substantially cylindrical unit having its axis horizontal and provided with a plurality of receptacles for component foam making solutions, a mixing chamber and foam production and delivery conduit carried by the unit and extending circumferentially along the outside of its cylindrical Wall and having connections with each of the compartments above the solution levels therein, a foam discharge outlet from said conduit and means for rotating the unit on a horizontal axis parallel to its own to cause the solutions to flow into said mixing chamber and delivery conduit for the production and delivery of foam.

3. A fire extinguisher of the kind adapted,

to be supported above a fire risk including a rotatable unit overbalanced and thereby adapted to rotate for discharge on a horizontal axis, said unit comprising aplurality of adjoining cylindrical solution receptacles Whose axes are parallel to and spaced from the axis of rotation, a mixing chamber, inlets opening thereunto from each receptacle above the normal level of the solution therein, and a foam delivery outlet from the mixing chamber, and means for retaining the unit in overbalanced position.

4. A foam fire extinguisher of the kind adapted to be supported above the fire risk comprising two substantially cylindical receptacles for the respective component solu tions located end to end mounted to turn together on a horizontal axis parallel With the cylindrical axis to a discharge position, a mixing chamber for the production and delivery of foam forming part of the rotatable structure and to which each of the solution receptacles delivers its solution into contact with the other entering solution, and means for causing the rotation of the unit to discharge position in time of fire.

5. A foam fire extinguisher of the kind adapted to be supported above the fire risk comprising two substantially cylindrical receptacles for the respective component solutions located end to end and overbalanced to turn together on a horizontal axis parallel with the cylindrical axis to a discharge position, an elongated duct carried by the cylinder extending circumferentially thereof near its cylindrical wall in the direction of discharging movement and constituting a mix ing chamber for the production and delivery of foam and to which each of the solution receptacles delivers, and means for retaining the unit in overbalanced position.

6. A foam fire extinguisher of the kind adapted to be supported above a fire risk comprising receptacles for component foam making solutions, an overhead supporting U- shaped structure open at the bottom and in which the receptacles are journalled for rotation from a normal to a discharge position, a mixingchamber and foam production and delivery conduit carried by and closely adjacent the cylindrical wall of the rotatable structure, inlets opening into the mixing chamber and foam production and delivery conduit from each receptacle, said supporting structure having protective means extending slightly beyond the dimensional limits of said containers in their normal and discharge positions.

7. A foam fire extinguisher of the kind adapted to be supported above a fire risk including an overhead support and a unit rotatably mounted on said support on a horizontal axis and adapted to rotate for discharge, said unit comprising a plurality of solution receptacles, a relatively shallow and elongated conduit serving as a mixing chamher and for foam production and delivery, said conduit being in communication with said receptacles below the solution levels therein when the unit is in discharge position and extending lengthwise in a direction other than radial with respect to the axis of rotation of the unit and serving to conduct foam in a non-radial direction and having a foam delivery outlet through which it releases foam, and means for causing rotation gf the unit to discharge position in time of 8. A foam fire extinguisher of the kind adapted to be supported above a fire risk including an overhead support and a substantially cylindrical unit rotatably mounted on said support with its axis horizontal and adapted to rotate for discharge on an axis parallel to its own axis, said unit comprising a plurality of adjoining solution recepf tacles whose axes are parallel to that of the unit, a relatively shallowand elongated conduit fitting the wall of the'cylinder and extending lengthwise along it-in a direction non-radial with reference to the axis of roclud-ing an overhead support and a unit rotatably mounted on said support on a horizontal axis and adapted to rotate for discharge, said unit comprising a plurality of solution receptacles, a relatively shallow and elongated conduit serving as a non-radial mixing chamber and for foam production and delivery, said conduit being in communication with said receptacles below the solution levels therein when the unit is in discharge position, and a foam delivery outlet from said conduit, pressure-equalizing means for the solution receptacles, and means for causing the rotation of the unit to discharge position in time of fire.

10. A foam fire extinguisher including a support and a substantially cylindrical unit mounted on said support on a horizontal axis parallel to its own and adapted to rotate thereon for discharge, a partition between its ends intersected by said axis and forming separate compartments for mutually reactive foam making solutions, a conduit overlapping both said compartments, in communication with both and extending circumferentia-llyalong the cylinder wall and serving as a mixing chamber and for the production and delivery of foam.

11. A foam fire extinguisher including supporting means and a substantially cylindrical unit rotatable on a horizontal axis parallel to its own and having partition means dividing off from the interior thereof a plurality of compartments for component foam-making solutions, and comprising also a relatively shallow elongated conduit serving as a mixing chamber and for foam production and delivery and extending in a nonradial direction along the cylinder wall and adapted on rotation of the unit to discharge position to be in communication with said receptacles below the level of liquid therein, and having a foam discharge outlet to which said conduit conducts foam in a non-radial direction and through which it delivers foam.

12. A foam fire extinguisher comprising a horizontal cylindrical tank mounted to turn on an axis slightly offset with respect to its geometrical axis and normally below the same and adapted to be rotated for discharge, a transverse partition between and spaced from the ends of the tank and intersected by its axis and forming adjacent compartments for mutually reactive foam-making solutions, a mixing chamber secured to the outer face of the cylindrical wall of the tank overlapping both said compartments and in communication with both, and means for delivering foam therefrom.

13. A foam fire extinguisher comprising a horizontal cylindrical tan-k mounted to turn on an axis slightly offset with respect to its geometrical axis and normally below the same and adapted to be rotated for discharge, a transverse partition between and specification.

WILLIS D, VVITTER. 

